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1/6/2010

Lexington, KY - A new year is underway, and many of you have made New Year's resolutions. The Better Business Bureau urges you to make one of those resolutions an effort to protect your money and identity from identity thieves.

ID thieves can be pretty sneaky in how they try to steal your money and personal information…so here are some ways to avoid falling for their ploys.

Your Better Business Bureau hears from many consumers who were conned into giving personal financial information over the telephone. Just because someone calls you on the phone asking for your information does not mean you have to give it to them until you've checked it out.

Never give anyone your Social Security number unless they have a real need to know, such as a lender or rental housing office you've applied with, or a potential employer. That number is the key to ID thieves opening lines of credit in your name and possibly wrecking your credit record, so protect it.

Use a shredder to make it hard for the ID thieves to get your information from your trash…shred bank statements, credit card offers and other sensitive documents before disposing of them.

On the computer, don't open attachments in emails from unfamiliar sources. And don't fall for phishing scams that try to fool you into following a link that will really only lead to a legitimate-looking website set up to steal your information without you knowing it until it's too late.

If something sounds fishy, check it out with your BBB. And a little vigilance and common sense can go a long way towards protecting your money and credit record from ID thieves so you don't fall for it!

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Be a "Don’t Fall for It!" informant! If you have something to share you believe may be a fraudulent offer or scam, please let the BBB know! Call us at (859) 259-1008 or toll-free, 1-800-866-6668, or email us at info@lexbbb.com.